Brittany Vlahakis

Of Mice and Men: a Conversation
George takes Lennie to the pet store so that Lennie can look at the mice. Lennie really wants a pet mouse but cannot have one because he would accidentally pet one to death if given the opportunity. After they have been there for quite some time Elie notices that George is disgusted but wants to leave, but there’s no pulling Lennie away from the mice.

Elie: (Sensing George’s disgust, he strikes up a conversation with George.) Boy, it seems like your friend really likes those mice.

George: Yeah he drives me crazy with these damn mice. He’d stay here all day if I let him.

Elie: If you don’t like it, why do you come here with him.

George: Because he is mentally challenged. If I let him get a hold of a mouse outside here, he’d pet it to death.

Elie: Are you his brother?

George: No, I’m his friend. I’ve known him practically my whole life. I made fun of him when we were kids, and now that I’m older I feel I owe it to him to take care of him. He needs me, he doesn’t have anybody else.

Elie: I know how you feel. I felt the same way about my father at one time.

George: Did your father get Altzheimers or was he in a nursing home?

Elie: No it’s a long story. When I was a teenager, we were both put in a German concentration camp. I was young and healthy and he was old and weak. Because he was my father and had taken care of me when I was younger, I tried o take care of him in the concentration camp even though I could bearly take care of myself.

George: Funny you should say that, because I’m taking care of Lenny all the time I can’t really even get a job to take care of myself.

Elie: Yeah, in the concentration camp when my dad got sick with disentary, I was giving him my own food. The other prisoners were telling me I was crazy cause I was only getting weaker and there was no way to save my father.

George: People tell me all the time I should just ditch Lenny and live my own life. I can’t do that to him.

Elie: Even worse, sometimes I found myself praying that my father would just die so that I could be relieved of the burden even tough I loved him, I felt he was going to get us both killed.

George: Even though I care about Lenny and would do anything for him, most days, sometimes I find myself wishing he would die as well.

Elie: Yeah it’s weird you want someone to die at the same time you’re trying to take care of them. My dad also used to drive me crazy because he kept clinging to his religion even though our religion got us thrown in the concentration camp to begin with.

George: Maybe it’s my guilt, or maybe its my Christian belief that makes me care for Lenny, even though sometimes I wish I didn’t. Maybe I’m as crazy as your old man. What happened to you and your dad anyway?

Elie: My father was crying out from his illness and an SS Guard beat him severely while I watched. I did nothing to protect my father and I’ll always suffer from the guilt of my inaction. Even though I wouldn’t have been able to stop the Nazi’s and probably gotten killed myself.

George: I guess I’m taking care of Lenny now because I couldn’t stop mself from picking on him when we we’re kids, even though I knew it was wrong at the time. Sounds like we both are suffering from a lot of guilt.

Elie: Well I hate to break the news to yo u but our store is closing in a couple of minutes. I’d like to let you saty but my boss likes to get home to dinner.

George: Thanks for letting hang around here. It was nice meeting you.

Elie: You too, George.